Les mondes engloutis (1985–1987)

Long ago, the mystical civilization of Arkadia was one of the most advanced places on Earth, until the end of the world came and forced the land and it's people underground. After that ... See full summary »

Creator:

Nina Wolmark

Stars:

Jeanine Forney, Chris Benard, Amandine Rajau

Cast

Series cast summary:
Jeanine Forney	...	Arkana (52 episodes, 1985-1987)
Chris Benard	...	Bob (52 episodes, 1985-1987)
Amandine Rajau	...	Rebecca (52 episodes, 1985-1987)
Louis Arbessier	...	Shag-shag (52 episodes, 1985-1987)
Marc Moro	...	Maxagaze (52 episodes, 1985-1987)
Jacques Deschamps	...	Mattymatte, Arkshag (52 episodes, 1985-1987)
Claude Dasset	...	Seskapile, Bic (52 episodes, 1985-1987)
Albert Augier	...	Bac (52 episodes, 1985-1987)
Jean Négroni	...	Narrator (52 episodes, 1985-1987)
Rebecca Forstadt	...	Rebecca (52 episodes, 1985-1987)
A.J. Henderson	...	Matt (52 episodes, 1985-1987)
Rob Roy	...	Spartakus (52 episodes, 1985-1987)
Howard Ryshpan	...	Bac (52 episodes, 1985-1987)
Perrette Pradier	...	Massmédia (51 episodes, 1985-1987)
Yves-Marie Maurin	...	Spartakus (45 episodes, 1985-1987)

Storyline

Long ago, the mystical civilization of Arkadia was one of the most advanced places on Earth, until the end of the world came and forced the land and it's people underground. After that great cataclysm, the Arkadians lived deep in the center of the Earth and created an artificial sun called the Shagma (Tiera in the American version). But one fateful day years later, the Shagma began to fade out. In a desperate act, the Children of this unusual civilization and their ship with a mind of it's own broke into to the secret museum, which was considered forbidden, except for the creatures who are in charge of it.

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Plot Keywords:

middle earth | anime | time travel | pirate | alternative reality | 

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Genres:

Animation | Adventure | Family | Fantasy

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Certificate:

TV-Y7

Details

Country:

France

Language:

French

Release Date:

11 September 1986 (USA)

Also Known As:

Spartakus and the Sun Beneath the Sea

Company Credits

Production Co:

France Animation S.A., RMC Audiovisuel, Monte Carlo Productions

Technical Specs

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Quotes

[repeated line]
Bic and Bac: Aaaah, c'est shagmique!

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Crazy Credits

The ending credits of the French language version has Shag-Shag coming out of a dark portal, followed by some conceptual art of every character(s) by Nina Wolmark. In various international prints, it just shows some footage of the six main characters from various episodes. Also the show's theme song plays during the credits.

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Connections

Referenced in Chrono Trigger (1995)

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Soundtracks

"Le Flashbic"
(Ending song Season 2)
Music by Vladimir Cosma
Lyrics by Nina Wolmark & Roger Dumas
Performed by Les Mini-Star

User Reviews

I remember this now!

I remember whenever I was visiting relatives in Japan, I would always turn on this show "&Acirckadia Monogatari" (Les Mondes Engloutis' Japanese title) on every morning on NHK and I instantly fell in love with it and started my fascination with European animation as well as Asian!

It follows the adventures of two surface children (Bab and Rebekka), mysterious wanderer Spartakus, magical being Akana and two twin ardvark type creatures called Bik and Bak. The end of the world happened long ago, making the floating mystical continent of Arkadia fall beneath the oceans of planet earth. The Arkadian civilization mutate into legless people whom look part human, part jelly-bean and wear strange headdresses and lost memories of the surface world after the creation of their sun, the Shaguma. However, this sun, after many years, is fading away and something must be done, so the children of the Arkadian clan and their organic living spaceship go into the forbidden grottos of this civilization, research their ancestors and create a magical woman from the life force of the ancient Arkadians and named her "Akana".

That is the basic plot, but it gets deeper and deeper with every episode you watch of it, combining original storytelling, with time travel, paradoxes, some comedy, mythological elements and of course, a big cast of colourful characters.

I reccomend this animated series to you. It was a long time since it aired in Japan (have not seen the French version yet, want to though), but it maybe airing in other places, since LME seems to have a cult following in Europe.